


Simply Meant To Be

by Storytelling_Sparrow



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Bruises, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Food, M/M, Mutual Pining, Painting, Platonic Relationships, Reading Aloud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 16:10:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17287262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storytelling_Sparrow/pseuds/Storytelling_Sparrow
Summary: Virgil decides to paint to help relieve stress; he's very gay for a certain Prince; enjoy the family dynamics of these soft boys





	1. Chapter 1

Virgil hesitated outside Logan’s door. He knew that Logan wouldn’t mind his being there- he never did- but the thought that he was being a nuisance still lurked in the back of his mind. He closed his eyes and recalled all the times he’d heard the logical side’s reassurances.

_“Anytime you need me, Virgil.”_

_“I don’t mind.”_

_“I’m just glad I can be of assistance to you.”_

_“I care about you and your well-being.”_

With a sigh, he reached out and rapped his knuckles against the door.

“Come on in, Virgil.” Logan called out. _“Well, he doesn’t sound irritated or annoyed,”_ Virgil thought as he opened the door and stepped inside the room. Logan was at his desk, writing. Without turning around he gestured for Virgil to sit. Notes and open books were strewn over nearly every available surface. In fact, the only clear spot was the armchair in the corner of the room. A purple blanket lay folded over the back of it. No matter how chaotic the room got to be, that chair was always free of clutter. Virgil’s mouth quirked up into a half-smile as he carefully made his way to what he’d come to consider his spot. He curled up in the chair and wrapped the blanket around him. Logan hummed in satisfaction and set down his pen, turning to face Virgil.

“Would you like to discuss what’s on your mind or would you like for me to read aloud?” he asked. He always asked in such a gentle tone, never seeming upset that he was being interrupted. Even after weeks of doing this, of going to Logan when he couldn’t sleep, it still surprised him to hear the logical side speak with such care.

“Um, I want to talk, but I need to relax first,” the anxious side mumbled, his fingers worrying the edge of the blanket. Logan noticed this and silently handed Virgil the Rubik’s Cube he kept on his desk. Virgil took it and fiddled with the cube instead. Logan smiled softly and picked up the book that they’d started reading together a few days ago.

“I’ll pick up where we left off while you gather your thoughts. Take all the time you need, and just let me know when you’re ready to talk.” He opened the book and began to read. “Chapter Fifteen: Murder and Hot Chocolate. The University School was buzzing…”

Virgil turned the Rubik’s Cube over in his hands and listened, letting Logan’s words wash over him. Already he could feel the knots in his stomach ease up. He took deep breaths- in for four, hold for seven, out for eight- and focused on the story. Sometimes this was the only thing that helped when he couldn’t sleep. He had his audiobooks and his music, but there was something about being in Logan’s company. It was a reminder that he had people who cared about him and were willing to help him when his anxiety got to be too much for him to handle on his own. He knew he could be difficult to be around, yet Logan would always stop whatever he was doing if Virgil came to him for help. Virgil took great comfort in how he could rely on Logan; on all the sides, really. Felling more at ease, he reached out and tapped on the desk to signal he was ready. Logan nodded and found a stopping point, setting the book down and focusing all his attention onto Virgil.

Virgil took one last deep breath and began to speak. “Um, well… I was just wondering if you’d had a chance to look up ways I can relieve my stress.” Virgil’s grip on the Rubik’s Cube tightened, his knuckles turning white. Gods, he hated how needy he sounded. “I know… I know that you’re busy and that my stupid problems aren’t nearly as important as all your other work-“

“Virgil.” Logan’s voice was firm. The anxious side fell silent as Logan reached out and gently took the cube from Virgil’s grip. “You know perfectly well that I will always make time for you. You are just as, if not more, important as anything else I may be working on.” Virgil blushed in embarrassment and looked down at his hands.

“Oh, um… yeah. Sorry, mom.” Virgil glanced up to see Logan shake his head, the corner of his mouth tugging into an almost smile.

“Do you have to call me that?” Virgil only grinned in response. Logan shook his head again and cleared his throat. “Well then. Moving on to the matter at hand. I have researched what you asked for me to and I believe I’ve found something that may be quite helpful.” He shuffled some papers around until he found what he was looking for. “I have found multiple articles that say art, specifically painting, is an effective way to alleviate stress. It allows you to have control over something tangible, provides a safe and healthy way for you to express your emotions, and gives your hands something productive to do.” He handed the paper to Virgil, who saw that it had a list of cited articles and paraphrased information. “You already draw so I thought this would be perfect for you.”

Virgil nodded as he scanned the paper. “Yeah, I sort of draw but I just do shitty pencil sketches. I don’t use color, and I’ve never painted anything before. What if I’m no good at it?” He looked up to see Logan staring intently at him.

“You do not have to be proficient in art for this process to work. Besides, I have seen some of your pencil sketches and I found them to be remarkable. You shouldn’t downplay your talent like that. You and I both know if Patton heard you talk bad about yourself he would be upset.”

Virgil blushed and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I know. He’d probably say he was going to physically fight me.” The thought of Patton trying to be threatening made both of them chuckle. Logan offered to read some more and Virgil agreed earnestly. The story was getting so good and he’d been dying to know what happened.

A few chapters later and Virgil caught himself dozing off. Logan’s reading must have relaxed him more than he thought and now he didn’t want to get up. “Hey, Lo… thank you for helping me,” the anxious side mumbled. Virgil tried to get up but his limbs were so heavy. He closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys enjoy a nice meal together; Virgil is too Gay™ to deal with his feelings

Virgil woke up to the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. He rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes and looked around, momentarily confused by his surroundings until memories of last night came floating back to him. _“Oh, yeah… I must’ve fallen asleep in Logan’s room,”_ he thought as he rose from the armchair, the blanket falling to the floor. There was a knock at the door as he bent to pick it up.

“Hey, kiddo, rise and shine!” Patton called out cheerfully as he opened the door and popped his head in. Virgil folded the blanket and draped it over the back of the chair as he replied, “Morning, Dad. Is breakfast ready yet?”

Patton shook his head. “Not quite, but almost. Come down soon so your food won’t get cold, okay?” Virgil smiled reassuringly. This satisfied the paternal figure, and he closed the door. Virgil finished straightening up the room the way he knew Logan liked it then headed downstairs as well.

The kitchen was filled with all sorts of delicious scents. Bacon, sausage, eggs, and… “Yes, coffee!” Virgil exclaimed as he went to sit down. His favorite mug was already there waiting for him, filled with much-needed caffeine. “I’m surprised you left some for me this time, Lo.” Logan only grunted in response, not looking up from his crossword puzzle. Virgil blew on his coffee to make sure it was cool enough to drink before downing half of it in one go. A warm hand on his shoulder stopped him from finishing it off.

“Now, kiddo, take it easy, okay? You’ll get hiccups,” Patton said in his Dad voice as he served the food. “And Roman, get off your phone and eat, please? You can get back on it afterwards.” Roman sighed dramatically and was about to protest when he noticed Patton giving him the Look. He held his hands out in surrender.

“Oh, alright! You win, padre.” He set the phone down and looked over at Virgil, who had just sat down from pouring himself more coffee. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty! Nice bedhead.”

Virgil blushed a little at the unexpected nickname and ran a hand through his hair self-consciously. _“Do I look bad? Shit, I knew I should have gone to my room first!”_ the anxious side thought.

Roman laughed and shook his head. “Hey, Virge, I was kidding. You look fine. I promise.”

Virgil scowled and stuck his tongue out at Roman. “Not cool, Princey. Rude much?"

Roman opened his mouth to reply when Patton sat down and cleared his throat. “Come on guys, dig in!”

The two sides nodded and did as they were told. Logan set down his pen and newspaper and began to eat as well. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Logan turned to Virgil. “How did you sleep? I made sure you were completely covered by the blanket and gave you a pillow so you wouldn’t get a crick in your neck.”

The concern in the logical side’s voice surprised Virgil. Another reminder, more proof they all actually cared about him. “Um, yeah, I was comfy. Thanks for letting me crash in your room, Mom.”

Roman snorted and Patton just beamed as Logan’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink. He cleared his throat, hands moving up to straighten his tie. “Virgil, I thought I asked you to refrain from calling me that?” Despite his best efforts to look and sound stern, there was no hiding the twinkle of happiness in his eyes. Virgil smirked and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. Mom.”

The whole table burst into laughter, even Logan (though he tried his best not to). Logan changed the subject by discussing a possible date night with Patton, and Roman began giving romantic, albeit over-the-top ideas. Somehow the conversation turned to Roman regaling the table with a colorful play-by-play of his last quest in the dreamscape. Virgil mostly just listened, only interjecting now and again. He much preferred watching his family, taking comfort in the familiar scene before him. Patton giggling and clapping, Logan going on tangents and ‘accidentally’ making Dad jokes, and Roman doing… well, anything.

Virgil loved watching Roman the most, not that he’d never admit it. The creative side was just so full of light and life and passion. He was always the brightest light in the room. His eyes sparkled when he talked about things he loved. It also didn’t help that Roman’s tight V-neck shirt didn’t really leave anything to the imagination. Virgil sighed softly and cursed himself for having such a hopeless crush. It’s not like Roman would ever, could ever reciprocate the feelings.

“-gil? Virgil?” Patton’s voice snapped Virgil out of his reverie. The anxious side looked up at Patton, who was smiling kindly at him.

“Hmm, yeah, Dad? Sorry, I was… zoning out,” Virgil mumbled, sneaking another glance at Roman. The prince was on his phone again now that breakfast was over, oblivious to Virgil’s staring. “Thank goodness for that.”

He turned his gaze towards Patton again, who had gestured at Virgil’s mostly-empty plate. “That’s alright, kiddo. I just wanted to see if you were done so I could take your dishes.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m done.” Logan and Patton busied themselves with cleaning up. Virgil pulled his own phone from his pocket and was about to get on Tumblr when he noticed Roman had stood.

“Well, thank you for breakfast padre! It was delicious as always. I must be off; I’ve another quest awaiting me!” Logan nodded and Patton rushed over to give Roman a big hug. “Have fun out there, Roman!”

Virgil felt queasy, knots beginning to form in his stomach. He always felt uneasy when Roman went on his adventures. He knew Roman was capable of taking care of himself, but it didn’t stop the tidal wave of worry that washed over him. Roman was about to leave and Virgil felt the words escape from his mouth before he could stop them. “Hey, Ro?”

The creative side looked at Virgil quizzically. “Yes?”

“Um… Please come back in one piece, okay?”

Roman looked surprised at Virgil’s words but soon broke out into a grin. “Worry not, my chemically imbalanced romance! I shall return victorious!” He winked at the anxious side then ran off to his room.

Virgil stared after him, his face feeling hot. Once he was sure Roman was gone he let out an exasperated sigh and slumped his head down on the table. “Ugh, does he have to act like that?” he groaned. Patton laughed and rubbed his back. “Aw, kiddo, that’s just how he is! You know, you really should just tell Roman how you feel.”

Virgil, who had been relaxing under Patton’s touch, jolted upright in his chair and looked up at the fatherly side, who had an I-know-something-you-don’t smile on his face. Virgil didn’t think his face could get any more red, and for once was extremely grateful Princey wasn’t there. “What? I, uh, don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stood abruptly, nearly knocking over the chair in the process. “Sorry! Um, thanks for breakfast, Dad. I’ll be in my room.” He ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs before they could say anything.

Virgil forced himself to take deep breaths as he walked down the hall towards his room. “In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. Way to be obvious about your stupid crush…” He noticed a box outside his door and curiosity pulled him out of his negative thoughts. He went to pick it up, straining with the weight of it. He cradled the box awkwardly under one arm and opened the door. Once inside his room, he sat down on his bed to examine the package. There was a note attached.

_Virgil-_   
_I have provided some basic supplies for you to get started on painting. Please inform me of how it works out for you and if I can be of any further assistance._   
_-Logan_

He smiled, setting the note aside so he could unpack the contents of the box. There were two canvases, a bag of paintbrushes, a white plastic paint palette, and five tubes of paint: white, black, red, blue and yellow. He ran his hands over the supplies and felt a spark of- something. He really wanted to try it, despite his earlier misgivings. But what would he even paint? He grabbed his sketchbook from the nightstand and flipped through it, hoping to find inspiration. He stopped when he landed on his most recent drawing. He’d been planning on giving the drawing to Logan, but an idea popped into his head. “It would look way cooler if I did it in color.”

Virgil set everything up at his desk and slipped his headphones on, blasting Fall Out Boy. He began sketching the drawing out onto the canvas, brows furrowed in concentration. “I really hope this turns out okay…”

**Later That Night**

Virgil knocked on Logan’s door, shifting nervously from foot to foot. He’d worked on the painting all day and he’d been pretty pleased with the work he did. He only hoped Logan liked it.

“Come on in, Virgil,” Logan’s voice called out through the door. Taking a deep breath, Virgil let himself in. The logical side was at his desk, going through several stacks of notes. Nervousness filled Virgil’s stomach and he bit his lip. He wanted to leave, go back to his room, but no. He had to do this.

“Um, Lo? Could I um… Can you look for a second?” Virgil’s voice was trembling a bit. That got Logan’s attention almost immediately. He turned around and looked at Virgil with a worried expression.

“Is everything alright?” Logan asked, eyes travelling over Virgil like he was looking for an injury.

“Just get it over with. Like a band-aid.”

Virgil took one last deep breath and began to speak. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just… I figured out that I really love painting, and it’s all because of you. So I wanted to give you something as a way of saying thank you. It’s okay if you don’t like it. But I worked really hard on it so I hope you do. Like it. Anyways, um… here you go.” He thrust the canvas into Logan’s hands and held his breath, waiting for a reaction.

Logan let out a soft gasp, his eyes widening as he took in the painting. “Virgil… Oh my stars, this is fantastic! You did such an amazing job blending the colors and everything! Thank you so much!” He gently set the painting down and stood, wrapping Virgil in an embrace. The anxious side tensed for a second at the sudden contact but hugged back, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“You… you really do like it? You’re not just saying that?” he mumbled into Logan’s shoulder.

Logan gently pulled away and looked straight into Virgil’s eyes. “Of course I really like it. I love it! It’s perfect. In fact I’m going to hang it up right here!” He took the painting and hung it right next to his desk.

Virgil sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you like it. I was worried it wasn’t any good.” He went to sit in his usual spot, draping the blanket over his legs. “Can we finish the book? I really wanna know what happens. Unless you’re busy, I can come back later?”

Logan shook his head and grabbed the book from the desk. “Of course we can finish it. I’ll admit I’ve been wanting to see how it ends myself.” He opened the book and read, Virgil smiling happily as he listened.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman and Virgil have a moment... sort of.

Roman burst into the living room, startling Patton and Logan. Logan scrambled for the remote and hit pause. The royal side gave them a strained smile. "Hello! I didn't mean to interrupt your movie. Just wanted to let you know I finally completed my quest!" He began to lift his arm up in triumph but winced, clutching at his ribs.

Patton's eyes widened and he was up from the couch and at Roman's side in an instant. "Lo. Go get the-"

"I'm on it, Pat. One moment." Logan stood and rushed off. Patton grabbed Roman's shoulders and guided him to the couch, making him sit down. "Roman, please show me where you're hurt at." His voice was laced with concern.

Roman sighed softly and forced a smile on to his face. "Honestly, Padre, I'm fine. It's just a-" Patton cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

"Roman. Please." It wasn't a question or a request Roman could decline, the way he said it. The creative side flinched a little at Patton's tone but lifted his shirt. There were some nasty bruises along his left ribs and a gash on his chest. Patton whimpered and gently touched the bruises. Roman winced at the touch but said nothing.

"Patton. It's going to be okay. Please sit next to Roman so I can clean his wound, okay?" Logan said as he walked back into the living room, first aid kit in hand. His voice was relatively calm but it still had an edge to it. He knelt in front of Roman and set to work cleaning the gash. Patton held tight to Roman's hand the whole time. Roman did his best to reassure him with soft words. "Hey, it's alright. I'm okay, Pat, I promise."

Once Logan finished, Roman stood and smiled warmly at the others. "Thank you both. I appreciate the help. Now, where's our Panic! At the Everywhere?"

Patton glanced at Logan, who nodded, before replying. "Virgil is in his room. He's been spending a lot of time in there while you were gone these past few days."

Roman frowned, his chest twinging uncomfortably. "Is he alright?"

"Well he's been coming down for meals, and he's been going to my room a few hours each night so we can read, so I see no cause for alarm." Logan peered over his glasses at Roman. "However, I do think it would be wise to go tell him you're home."

The royal side let out an irritated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't look at me like that, pocket protector, I was going to. Now, you two finish your movie and I'll go talk to Virgil. See you lovebirds at dinner!" With that he left to head upstairs.

Roman could hear Virgil's music blasting from down the hall. "Goodness... you'd think Patton or Logan would've told him to turn it down." As he approached Virgil's door, he realized this was a song he knew. Not a familiar version, but the words were still the same. He was even more surprised to hear the anxious side singing. He stood there to listen to his sweet voice.

_/Like a river flows/Surely to the sea/Darling so it goes/Some things were meant to be/Take my hand/Take my whole life too/Cause I can't help/Falling in love with you/_

Roman smiled warmly. He wished Virgil were confident enough to sing more often but knew that was unlikely. The song ended and Roman took the silence as an opportunity to knock and actually be heard. "Virgil? Can I come in?" He heard movement, then Virgil opened the door. The first thing he noticed was that his signature hoodie was missing. Roman checked him out as nonchalantly as possible and smiled as he noticed a wave of relief pass over Virgil's face.

"Hey, when did you get back? Are you okay?" Virgil crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his fingers in an uneven rhythm against his elbow. Roman gave him one of his signature grins in an attempt to reassure him.

"I just got back from my quest, and I was victorious as promised! But are you okay? Where's your hoodie?"

Virgil scowled, his eyebrows furrowed. "It's being washed. Today's laundry day. You've been gone for five damn days. So was that all you wanted to tell me? Because I'm kind of in the middle of something."

Roman frowned at the anxious side's sudden change in tone, but he found his curiosity was getting the better of him. "What are you working on?"

"None of your business- hey!" Roman pushed past him and into the room before Virgil could stop him.

"Oh, for fuck's sake..." Virgil muttered under his breath as he followed him into the room and shut the door. His body tensed, preparing for Roman to start making fun of him. But that didn’t happen.

The room was filled with paintings, each more vibrant than the last. An ocean view, a rocket ship, a jar of sunflowers, a sparrow in flight. Roman's eyes widened as he took them all in. "Oh my goodness, Virgil... these are amazing! When did you start painting?" He looked at Virgil, who was blushing profusely and biting his lower lip. _"Gods, why is he so cute?"_ Roman thought as he stared at his crush.

"Um, I started a few days ago?" he mumbled, eyes trained on the floor. "Logan thought it would be a good outlet for me, to manage my stress. You... really like them?" He met Roman's gaze and was startled to see the creative side had moved to stand right in front of him.

"Virgil, I love them. They're all so amazing, and you're incredibly talented. Who are they for?" Roman laid a hand on Virgil's cheek. The anxious side inhaled sharply at the touch.

"Ro, what... what are you doing?" he asked, his voice strained. The prince ran a thumb across Virgil's lips and smiled, his eyes sparkling with passion and mischief. "Aren't you going to answer my question?" Roman's voice was low and teasing.

"Oh, um... the p-paintings aren't really for anyone in, um, particular. I just..." Virgil's voice trailed off as Roman drew his face closer to his. He glanced at Roman's lips. Gods, they were so close. Just an inch closer and they'd be kissing. Virgil felt like he couldn't breathe. Like if he moved, the moment would be ruined.

When Roman spoke again, it was barely above a whisper. "Virgil. Can I-"

A knock on the door shattered the moment before Roman could finish whatever it was he’d been going to say. The creative side huffed and pulled away, a frown on his face. Virgil exhaled the breath he'd been holding and struggled to find his voice, turning towards the door. "Y-yeah?"

"Just wanted to let you know dinner will be ready in 30 minutes, so come down soon okay?"

"No problem, dad, thanks," Virgil forced the words out. Patton's footsteps retreated back down the hallway. The anxious side looked back at Roman, who had picked up the sparrow painting.

"Ah, careful with that one? It still has wet paint." Virgil said softly. Roman nodded and set it back down.

"I'm sorry for barging in here like I did. I was just so worried about you and wanted to be sure you were safe and that everything was alright. I missed you while I was gone." Roman wrapped his arms around Virgil and drew him close for a hug. Virgil found himself hugging back, nuzzling against the prince's chest. "I missed you too, Ro." He wanted to stay like that, nestled in Roman's arms, but he knew they would be expected downstairs soon.

"Um, you should probably go get ready for dinner, and I have to finish up this painting before the paint dries," Virgil said, his voice thankfully more even as he made himself pull away. Roman smiled and nodded.

"Of course. I'll see you at dinner then, Hot Topic." Roman brushed his lips against Virgil's cheek before exiting the room. Virgil stood there for a few long moments, his heart and mind racing. He reached up and touched the spot where Roman had kissed him. The only thing he could think was _"What the fuck just happened?"_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moment we've all been waiting for...

Dinner was awkward, to say the least. The conversation was mostly Patton trying to ease the obvious tension in the room with his puns and dad jokes that Logan tried his best not to laugh at. Roman kept stealing glances at Virgil, who had chosen not to sit at the table with the others. He was seated up on the countertop, pushing his food around on his plate instead of eating it.

Logan cleared his throat and spoke up in an attempt to break the silence. "Roman. What do you think of the new classes Thomas has been taking?" Roman hesitated for a long moment before answering, tearing his gaze away from Virgil to look at the logical side.

"Oh, um, yes, they're... they're great. Though I'm thinking we need to fine tune the schedule. Just to make sure that Thomas has time to work on homework, videos, and still have time for himself without getting too overwhelmed. Perhaps we could work on it together?" The creative side gave Logan a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Logan raised an eyebrow at Roman but saw the plea for help written in the prince's face and knew what to do.

"Yes, that sounds satisfactory. If you're done eating, perhaps we could go ahead and get started?" He stood and went to put his dishes in the sink. Roman looked at his dinner plate, sighed, and stood as well. "I think I'm finished. Thank you for dinner, padre." With one last longing look at Virgil, he grabbed Logan's hand and practically dragged him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Patton watched the two of them run off, then turned to Virgil, who had hopped off the counter. "I'll help you clean up if you want," he mumbled, setting his mostly full plate on the table. Patton frowned and shook his head.

"Virge, honey, you barely ate anything. Are you alright? Do you wanna talk about it now that it's just me and you?" Virgil bit at his lower lip. He hadn't been planning on saying anything to anybody, but Patton's soft tone coaxed the words out of him. He paced in front of the table and began explaining what had happened.

"So, Roman came up to my room to talk to me. He was being his usual annoying self, and I was still upset that he'd been gone for so long. Anyways, he saw my paintings. I thought for sure he was going to make fun of me but he didn't. He said he liked them, he called me talented, and then he... he held my face in his hand and got really close to me and he-"

Patton squealed with delight. "Oh my goodness, did he _kiss_ you!?"

Virgil blushed profusely and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Um, yeah? He kissed my cheek. But I was almost positive he was going to actually- that he wanted to-" Virgil let out a frustrated groan and stopped his pacing to look at Patton, who was bouncing up and down in his seat like a kid at Christmas.

"Aw, kiddo, I'm sorry but this is so adorable! Did you want him to kiss you?" Patton was near bursting with glee. Virgil moved to stand next to him and worried the sleeves of his hoodie between his fingers.

"I mean, yeah?" Virgil's breath quickened. He could feel his chest tighten, the panic bubbling up inside him. Why was it suddenly so _hot_ in here-?

"Hey, Virge, breathe. It's okay, I'm right here. Look at me." Patton's voice was steady and calm. Virgil looked into Patton's eyes. "Listen to me, kiddo. We're going to do an exercise, okay? Can you tell me five things you can see?"

Virgil drew in a shaky breath and looked around. "Um, the table, the chairs, the dishes, the faucet, and you?"

"That's good, kiddo. Now, tell me four things you can touch?" They continued the exercise until Virgil was able to breath normally again. Patton gently sat him down in the chair beside him.

"I'm so sorry, Pat. I just... this whole thing with Roman has me really freaked out. I want this, I want him, so badly. But... I'm terrified that all I'm going to do is screw it up," Virgil sighed, putting his head in his hands. Patton rubbed his back reassuringly.

"You aren't going to ruin anything. I know Roman wouldn't almost kiss you if he didn't like you a whole lot! I know talking to him outright is probably out of the question," Patton said, smiling softly as he saw Virgil nod. "Well, maybe you could make him something! You know, write him a letter or make him a card explaining how you feel?"

Virgil lifted his head, a spark of an idea and something like hope in his eyes. "Pat, that's it! I can paint him a picture! You're a genius!"

Patton giggled, happy to have helped. "I'm not a genius, I'm a dad!" Virgil laughed and hugged the father figure. "I'll work on it tonight, but first let me help you clean up the kitchen. Since Lo and Sir Sing-a-lot just ran off." Patton shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but I'll clean up. You are going to sit here and finish eating your food. You know the rules, kiddo! You gotta finish what's on your plate!" Virgil smiled softly up at Patton. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, dad. You're the best."

Once Virgil was done eating he headed straight to his room. He grabbed a canvas from the new pack Logan had given him the night before and set up his supplies, racking his brain for ideas of where to start. "What should I even paint for Roman? Something perfect, it has to be perfect..." He looked around his room for inspiration and his gaze fell on his Tim Burton posters. An idea clicked into place in his head. He played his music aloud again, humming along with the song as he set to work. "Okay, I can do this. I'll do this for him. I really hope he likes it..."

**The Next Morning**

Roman woke up the next morning to a knock on his door. He groaned and rolled over to check the time: 6:39 a.m. He sat up and stretched, stifling a yawn. "Hello?" There was no response. He called out a bit louder, "You can come in!" Still nothing. Roman sighed and reluctantly got out of bed. "Didn't you hear me say you-" he opened the door and realized he was speaking to no one. He glanced down the hall but it was empty. Just as he was about to close the door, he noticed a red box on the ground by his door. The prince picked it up and went to sit on his bed. There was a note attached to the front with his name on it.

_Roman,_   
_Like a river flows_   
_Surely to the sea_   
_Darling, so it goes_   
_Some things were meant to be_   
_Take my hand_   
_Take my whole life, too_   
_Cause I can't help_   
_Falling in love with you_   
_I know you really liked my Nightmare Before Christmas poster, but I hope you like this painting better._   
_-Virgil_

Roman's heart was fluttering wildly as he opened the box. The painting was gorgeous. Jack and Sally stood on the hill top, silhouetted by the moonlight. "Virgil must have worked so hard on this." Roman was fairly certain that this was one of the most romantic gifts he'd ever received. He quickly hung the painting up right by his bed before dashing out of the room to find Virgil.

***

The anxious side in question was pacing in his room, wondering if he should go downstairs and act like nothing had happened or if he should hide in his room all day. So far the latter was winning out. He was incredibly nervous about seeing Roman. His mind kept churning out what ifs, each worse than the last.

_"What if he hates it?"_

_"What if he realizes yesterday was a mistake?"_

_"What if he hates you?"_

Suddenly his bedroom door burst open and there stood Roman, his shirt and hair disheveled from sleep. The pajama pants he had on were slung low over his hips. Virgil's eyes widened as he took in the creative side's body, his brain jumping from _"what ifs"_ to _"oh my gods he is so fucking hot"._ Roman closed the door and went up to Virgil, taking his hands.

"Virgil... I absolutely adored the painting you made for me. I just had to come and see you, and ask if we could finish what we tried to do yesterday?" Roman leaned down, resting his forehead against Virgil's. The anxious side was silent for a moment then finally found his voice.

"Roman, I, ah... yes. Whatever you were going to ask me yesterday, yes. Please." His voice was low and rough and the prince couldn't stand waiting any longer. He kissed Virgil, long and slow and deep. Virgil kissed back, wrapping his arms around Roman's neck. Roman wanted nothing more than to keep going, but he had something else to say. He slowly pulled back, chuckling softly when Virgil let out a soft moan of protest.

He looked deeply into Virgil's dark brown eyes. "Virgil, my dark prince... I love you."

Virgil smiled, a smile so warm and bright and genuine that Roman fell even more in love. He silently vowed to always make Virgil smile just like that from now on. Virgil played with Roman's hair and said "Roman, I love you too." They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment until Roman noticed Virgil biting his lower lip. "What's the matter, my love?"

Virgil blushed and mumbled, "So, um... I was wondering if we could keep kissing? I really liked it and want to do it again." Roman grinned in delight. "As you wish."

Needless to say, the two of them ended up missing breakfast.


End file.
